How to Do Last Minute Preparations to a Home before a Real Estate Showing

There are a few final details to attend to just before a real estate showing. Little details left undone can result in a lower offered price on your home. Whenever you get a call from a realtor for a showing, make sure to do the items listed below. Most realtors will advise being absent during a showing, so these items will need to be taken care of before leaving your home.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Make sure the beds are made. An unmade bed implies that you are sloppy and don't care.

2. Pick up everything off the floor. This includes toys, clothes, and anything else that can be tripped over and does not belong there.

3. There should be no dishes in the sink, on the counters, or on the table. Dishes in the sink makes your home feel dirty, even if the dishes are clean.

4. If you have time, dust, vacuum, and mop your home. There is not always time for this, but it shows pride in your home.

5. Turn on all the lights and open your window treatments. Your home should feel as bright as possible. Make sure the view out the windows is pleasant and not a view of trash cans, junk in your yard, or anything else that is not nice to look at.

6. Make sure your pets are secured. They should be in a kennel or crate so they do not disturb the visitors. If they are prone to barking or making noise towards visitors, consider covering the cage or taking them with you when you leave your home.

7. Your home should smell nice. Baking cookies is a nice touch, but there is often not enough time. Consider lighting a scented candle and blowing it out before leaving or using some air freshener in areas that might not smell very fresh.

8. On your way out, double check your flower beds for weeds. If you have a few minutes, grab some weeds out of the garden and discard them. Pick up any trash or newspapers that may be in your yard. Make sure your garbage cans are put away.

[mymukki]

on 8/21/2009 Number 7 is vital. I remember seeing a house that had me running away gagging! The family was sitting at dinner eating, the dinner obviously included boiled cabbage. The smell permeated the house and was so distracting. I honestly couldn't remember one thing other than the smell! I saw they sell scented air filters -pricy but perfect for getting your hosue sold!

[aguy]

on 8/21/2009 These are the right things to do. Good reminder! 5

[ladym33]

on 8/20/2009 Really good idea, selling a home is so stressful and exhausting because things have to be spic and span at all times because you never know when someone is going to want to take a look. This is really good advice, when we were looking at houses we were turned off of nice homes because of bad housekeeping, one house was nice and mostly neat but had cat poop on the floor in one of the rooms, perhaps the owner didn't realize it was there, but it was a sign to us that there were was at least one cat in the house that didn't always use the litter box, which meant the carpets would probably have odors in the oddest of places.